We’ve all been there. We all got the headshot taken at 22 when we were a fresh-faced graduate, with shiny eyes and a big smile, ready to take on the corporate world. We all ~ know ~ that our eyes are no longer quite as shiny… but for most of us that headshot still graces our LinkedIn profiles and just about every client proposal and presentation. Is it time for a change?

How about your company stock imagery? Are they recent enough that fashion styles are still the same, or are the suits from the 80s? Ok, granted what goes around comes around in fashion – you get what we mean!

So, what’s an appropriate length of time that you can use branded and personalised corporate photos?

Unfortunately there’s no clear-cut answer. If you think it’s about time that they had a refresh, that’s a pretty good guide. Another sign could be someone pointing out that you don’t look like your photo, but that’s just because you’re ageing like fine wine, we’re sure of it!

In all seriousness though, we understand that brands and businesses have SO many competing priorities in this day and age. Individual headshots are a lot quicker and easier to update – book in a morning, tell your staff to throw on their best suit and a you-can-trust-us smile and in a couple of clicks you’re good to go. Some companies choose to do this yearly and set aside a specific photo day, others have a photographer come in regularly and employees can choose when they wish to book in for an update, and some only think it appropriate to update every 4-5 years. It can be nice to have a refresh, consider consulting with your employees about their preferences and what they’d like.

If you’re looking to update your company stock images for use in websites, proposals, promotions and any other materials, we’d recommend setting aside half a day. Yes, we know it can be hard to get everyone in one place at one time – but remember that this is your visual brand and strong visual branding can transform a business. Once every year or two is usually appropriate for a stock image update. To save time on photo day, consider developing a bit of a plan and vision board of the imagery you’d like to paint a visual representation of your business and brand. Have a look at what others in your industry are doing, and choose 5-10 key shots that you’d like to get. On the day these examples can be used as a starting point and will almost always end up transforming into an even better image that truly encapsulates what you’re about.

So, is it about time your company had a photo facelift? Reach out to our team here and lets discuss how your business can put your best face forward.